Posts Tagged With '3DS'

What better place to start our new retro feature than the very system that kickstarted this wonderful journey, the Nintendo Entertainment System. For many gamers, the NES was the system that changed our lives and sucked us into a world of endless possibilities. Whether it was World 1-1 of Super Mario Bros, the first dungeon in The Legend of Zelda, or the initial creepy moments of Metroid, the NES captured the hearts of millions right off the bat, and continues to entertain people to this very day.

No two lists will ever be the same, many different people have many different favorites, but the following games are certainly some of the most memorable from their time. So without further ado, these are the ten best NES games, as voted by the Infendo staff:

10. Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse – Returning to the action-platforming of the original Castlevania, Dracula’s Curse added so much depth and variety to the series. The ability to switch characters throughout the game led you down different paths, making for incredible replay value, as you could play the whole game without seeing all it had to offer.

9. Kid Icarus – Built on the same engine as Metroid, and released around the same time, Kid Icarus often goes unnoticed and/or unappreciated. Where Metroid focuses more on exploration, Kid Icarus focuses more on action-platforming, with some RPG elements. Full of unique worlds and labyrinthine fortresses, Icarus is challenging, yet thrilling.

8. Metroid – The original exploration game, Metroid came out of nowhere and stunned gamers. Its eerie atmosphere, open world, and non-linear gameplay made it extremely unique and set the blueprint for one of Nintendo’s most unique series of all time.

7. Duck Tales – Built on the Mega Man engine, and taking many of its action-platforming aspects directly from it, Duck Tales stands out as one of many licensed Disney games that proved to be more than just a kids game. With an amazing soundtrack, incredible levels, and an unforgettable pogo-stick attack, Duck Tales is an absolute treasure.

6. Contra – A thrilling cross between Rambo and Alien, Contra was shooting action at its finest on the NES. The best multiplayer game on the system, Contra was a non-stop barrage of militant music and alien beat downs.

5. Super Mario Bros. – Perhaps the most iconic and recognizable game in Nintendo’s rich history, Super Mario Bros. was the quintessential NES game. For an entire generation of gamers its impact was immediate. A challenging, brilliant platformer, Super Mario Bros. is forever synonymous with Nintendo.

4. Mega Man 2 – Released only a year after Mega Man, this powerful sequel managed to up the ante in every way possible. More Robot Masters, up from 6 to 8, made for more variety. Brilliant level designs, unique enemies, and an absolutely memorable soundtrack make this the high point of the Mega Man series.

3. Punch-Out!! – A brilliant game full of absurdly unique characters, Punch-Out!! is more than just a “boxing game.” It was a test of skill, of timing, of pattern recognition. Punch-Out!! demanded you to play it again and again, mastering each comical opponent as you worked your way to the top.

2. The Legend of Zelda – The game that kicked off one of the greatest series in video game history. Zelda was one of the biggest, most ambitious games of its time, and tested players wits and ingenuity. Many elements have been improved upon, but this game laid the groundwork for every Zelda game that followed.

1. Super Mario Bros. 3 – Following the oddity that is Super Mario Bros. 2, SMB3 picks up where the first game left off, and runs away with it. Prettier graphics, better level designs, cooler power-ups, SMB3 had it all. It took platforming to new heights and is the gold standard for all Mario games.

With the sad departure of our beloved editor, Holly Fellmeth, and the increasingly busy lives of the rest of the Infendo staff, the pages of Infendo have been eerily silent as of late. Do not fear, great things are on their way.

One of these things is a new bi-weekly feature, beginning next week, entitled “Tuesday Time Warp.” This new feature will focus on retro games, particularly the golden era of the 80s and 90s. The structure of this feature will vary, one week it may be a top ten list of some sort, the next week it may be a deeper focus on a single game, another week it may be a unique historical article. “Tuesday Time Warp” will hopefully be an enjoyable revisiting for some, and a fun introduction for others, introducing them to games they may have skipped, or in some cases not even been old enough to enjoy. Look forward to jumping back in time soon.

Last week’s Nintendo Direct has the Nintendo Universe buzzing with excitement, much of it stirred up by the announcement of the Majora’s Mask remake coming to the 3DS. While many are bouncing with excitement, others are cringing at the thought of tackling this franchise misfit again. All this brings us to an enormously debated question: Where does Majora’s Mask sit in the Zelda hierarchy? Is it truly a brilliant masterpiece, misunderstood by some but revered by others, full of unique twists, innovative storylines and refreshing characters? Or is it an overrated misstep, a rare stumble in the Zelda timeline, a game in over its head in attempts to one up its fantastic predecessor?

Many things set Majora’s Mask apart from the majority of the Zelda franchise. A strange, sad tale, Majora’s Mask wanders farthest away from the staples of the series, and ventures off into unforeseen territory. While Nintendo easily could have stuck to the formula, and simply made “Ocarina of Time 2″, instead they took chances, risks which undoubtedly paid off for many fans. An excruciatingly emotional game, in a time when video games rarely carried emotions, Majora’s Mask was dark, at times even depressing. From the opening moments the game is stricken with a sense of loneliness, as Link searches dejectedly for Navi. Instead he comes across the Skull Kid, possibly the series’ strangest and most twisted force of evil, which for many was a refreshing change from the never-ending battle with Ganondorf.

Along with the dark, sorrowful, bleakness, Majora’s Mask took other brave steps away from its predecessors. Leaving the world of Hyrule behind, the game takes place in the bizarre land of Termina, a land where Link is lost, without his identity. In his quest to regain his identity, and save this new land, Majora’s Mask took other twists and turns, implementing the unique use of masks as a way to transform and gain abilities. Then there is the biggest change of all, perhaps the one mechanic of Majora’s Mask that is so responsible for alienating some fans: the dreaded 3-day countdown. As Link, we are forced to relive the same three days over and over, a feat which some found fascinatingly unique, and others found to be frustratingly difficult to overcome.

Where it sits in the echelon of one of the greatest series of all time is certainly debatable, and we, the Infendo team, have compared our personal favorites in an attempt to rank the greatest Zelda games of all time. Majora’s Mask is certainly a divisive entry in the Zelda universe but there is no denying the game is a bravely unique departure from the Zelda formula, and one which will capture many more imaginations in the near future.

Please feel free to comment and share your top 5 Zelda games of all time.

15. Zelda II: Adventure of Link – NES, 1988

The black sheep of the early-era Zelda games, Zelda 2 took some sharp turns and made some glaring gameplay changes following the original game. Adding RPG elements, such as MP and Experience points, and introducing side-scrolling platforming sections, proved to be unsuccessful and have caused many to regard Zelda 2 as a disappointment.

14. Phantom Hourglass – DS, 2009

Phantom Hourglass was the first Zelda game to test out touch screen controls, which were largely a failure. Aside from the neat ability to make your own notes on maps, the touch screen controls were mostly annoying and often caused you to move in ways you hadn’t intended, which hurt the overall gameplay of this entry.

13. Spirit Tracks – DS, 2009

Spirit Tracks took all the positives of Phantom Hourglass and slightly improved upon them. The touch controls were significantly better which saved this game from being a complete disappointment. Gone were Links days on a sailing boat, replaced with a train to travel to various locations throughout.

12. Four Swords/Four Swords Adventure – GBA, 2002/Gamecube, 2004

Multiplayer Zelda! Four Swords was certainly one-of-a-kind, the only game in the series to offer up multiplayer. Four Swords holds true to the Zelda experience, and has some incredibly unique ideas. Players can split up when inside caves and dungeons, as game play switches to the Game Boy Advance screens while inside, making for true teamwork. Where it suffered greatly was from its ridiculous hardware requirement, four Game Boy Advances with four link cables were needed to properly play, but if you ever got the opportunity to play it as it was meant, it is a truly remarkable feat.

11. Oracle of Ages/Oracle of Seasons – Gameboy Color, 2001

Cashing in on the success of the Pokemon series, Nintendo attempted to create two connected Zelda games. Where Seasons focused more on boss battles and action, Ages had a bigger focus on puzzles. Completing one game provided you a password that, when entered into the other game, made significant differences to the dialogue and the final boss battle.

10. Legend of Zelda – NES, 1987

With very little guidance, this series entrance introduced us to a massive open world, filled with secrets, treasure and a variety of monsters. A powerfully unique game for its time, the Legend of Zelda has arguably not aged well, but will always hold a special place in any Zelda fans heart.

9. The Minish Cap – GBA, 2004

Developed by Capcom rather than Nintendo, Minish Cap maintains the continued strides forward in the series’ never ending search for fresh new ideas and gameplay mechanics. Structurally reminiscent of A Link To The Past, The Minish Cap gave Link the ability to shrink and explore a miniature world within a world.

8. Twilight Princess – Wii/Gamecube, 2006

Twilight Princess is arguably the older sibling to Ocarina of Time. The game copies many of Ocarina’s characteristics, and pumps it up with sharper graphics, deeper storyline and a more fleshed out combat system. It also introduced us to a fan favorite in Midna. However, Twilight did have its downfalls. Wolf Link, the Twilight Realm, and, for many, the horrible Wii waggle controls were marks against an otherwise solid entry in the series.

7. Link’s Awakening – Gameboy, 1993

– Lewis Pugh

Certainly one of the weirder Zelda games, Link’s Awakening ditches all the story mainstays. No Zelda, no Ganon, no Triforce, no Hyrule. Instead you were transported to the magical island of Koholint, and set on a quest for 8 magical instruments, needed to awaken the mystical Wind Fish. Despite this odd variation to the Zelda storyline, Link’s Awakening was a brilliant step into the handheld world, and a thrilling game filled with odd characters, and even odder cameos (Mario, Yoshi and even Chain Chomp make appearances throughout).

Lewis Pugh: My most favourite Zelda title, and I’m sure I’m not alone in this, was my first. Links Awakening blew me away as a kid. The huge world took me ages to explore and being both new to Zelda games and adventure games in general it taught me many of gamings trappings; like blowing up cracked walls, chopping grass for money and even the now infamous trading sequence. Going back to Links Awakening it’s not just nostalgia that raises it to the top of my list but the goofy atmosphere, fantastic music, interesting items and enchanting characters all play their part in making this my favourite and most fun to go back to Legend of Zelda game. Its odd to think of a portable game with the most rudimentary graphics in the series being my favourite but it really is. Maybe the simplistic graphics helps the mind fill in the blanks or being able to take the adventure with me made it feel like a real adventure as a kid. Either way Links Awakening has secured the no.1 spot on my list and going back was the first Zelda to balance pacing, difficulty, character and side quests. I would recommend the game to anyone.

6. The Wind Waker – Gamecube, 2002

While originally met with great amounts of criticism, Wind Waker has gone on to be rejoiced for its beautiful and lively cel-shaded graphics. Graphics weren’t the only brave new twist in Wind Waker, it also delivered a new form of travel: sailing. At times the sailing may have been monotonous, seemingly going on forever, and the lack of overworld was, for some, a misstep, but the uniqueness certainly sticks out from the series.

5. Skyward Sword – Wii, 2011

Finally you got to wield total control of the Master Sword! With its thrilling Motion Plus controls, Skyward Sword came closer than any game ever has to replicating the physical movements of our favorite hero. Combined with a brilliant origin story, and a large emotional focus on the relationship between Link and Zelda, Skyward Sword is a truly brilliant addition to the series.

Holly Fellmeth: I was always one to embrace the Wii remote and motion controls in general, and in the case of Skyward Sword, I’m glad I did: not only is the game’s design top-notch, but with an open mind, swinging the Wii remote to outsmart enemies is an incredibly satisfying feeling.

Lewis Pugh: Skyword Sword is the only game that attempted one-to-one motion sword controls and may remain the only game in the series ever to do so. I found this an extremely refreshing experience. Maybe it was due to the long amount of time I clocked into Wii Sports Resort, thanks to it’s fun, competitive multiplayer modes that can make for heated gaming sessions? Maybe it’s a more personal pretence which I happen to click with? Either way I found the motion control great and genuinely making the game more immersive. It also made puzzle solving and fighting enemies fresh again instead of just going through the motions. In addition to the motion-control stuff, the story, although slow to start, turned out to be my favourite traditional Zelda story (with non-traditional story award going to Majora’s Mask). The characters had the right mix of cartoon whimsy and human enough to relate. It’s also one of the only Zelda games that get’s you to care about Zelda, and Links relationship to her. On top of all that it makes a great origin story and with some of the best music in the series, some pieces even being orchestrated, Skyword Sword leaves a lasting impression that is hard to beat.

4. A Link To The Past – SNES, 1991

Returning to its roots, after the failures of Zelda 2, A Link To The Past is a remarkable blend of vast exploration, complex puzzles and action-filled combat. Upon waking up, on a stormy night, a voice calls out to you in the dark. Within moments a sword is thrust into your hands and the most amazing journey begins. Not one, but two, beautiful, immersive worlds awaited you as this game captured the imagination like no game before it. Everything about this game is brilliant: the music is powerful, the graphics bounce from bright and vivid to dark and sinister, the dungeons twist and turn, a delightful blend of monsters and magic around every corner. A Link To The Past set the standard for Zelda games, concreted the foundation for a series that continues to suck us into its glorious universe

3. A Link Between Worlds – 3DS, 2013

After more than 25 years, and a brilliant slew of games, it would be very easy for a series to grow stale, and when it first appeared that A Link Between Worlds was just a rehashing of A Link To The Past, it seemed as if the Zelda series had finally grown stale. Instead it turned out to be anything but stale. A familiar world was graced with a fresh new story, unique new twists and a remarkably different gameplay mechanic. The ability to turn into a painting and move along the walls, while it may not sound all that appealing, delivers a brilliant new set of challenges and leads to some of the most incredible puzzles this series has ever seen. Combined with a fantastic soundtrack, brilliant dungeons and several other mechanics twists, A Link Between Worlds is a wonderful trip back to a land from Hyrule’s past.

2. Ocarina of Time – N64, 1998

- Holly Fellmeth & Justin Riley

One of the most thrilling, beautiful games ever made, Ocarina of Time took all the magic of the Zelda series and pulled it into a 3-dimensional world. All the series elements were still there, intricate dungeons, mind-bending puzzles, hideous monsters and a vastly gorgeous landscape, only now it was presented in a more vivid, lifelike way. From the various townsfolk roaming about, to the constant rising and setting of the sun, Ocarina of Time made Hyrule feel more real than ever. You could spend days just roaming the lands, exploring its various locations, searching for secrets, hunting heart pieces and golden Skulltulas. Ocarina of Time found the perfect blend: a remarkable story, innovative dungeons, and one of the most moving soundtracks to date.

Holly Fellmeth: When I was a kid and played Ocarina of Time probably a hundred times over, I had no idea the game was receiving what would become the highest critical praise of all time for a video game; I just loved that it captured my imagination in a way nothing else ever would.

1. Majora’s Mask – N64, 2000

– Colin Crompton & Harrison Milfeld

Arguably the most eccentric and ambitious Zelda game, Majora’s Mask is disputedly the greatest Zelda game ever made. While its horrifying three day cycle may be a large turnoff to some, that cycle causes the game to have a constant sense of despair, as you must witness the destruction of Termina over and over again. A strange new villain, the Skull Kid, a visibly angry moon crashing towards you, and Links lost sense of self, all combine to make this the darkest, most emotion wrought Zelda game ever.

Colin Crompton: Yes, the dark horse of the Zelda games. It takes the series into strange territory as Link struggles to save Termina from complete annihilation as well as trying to fulfill several requests from clock towns bizarre residents. What I enjoy most from Majora’s Mask is the departure from some of the Zelda traditions. This is a Zelda game, yet Princess Zelda barely gets a mention. Ganon is nowhere to be seen, instead we get a far more interesting antagonist in Skull Kid.

Harrison Milfeld: Choosing what your favorite Zelda title is a difficult task in and of itself. It’s essentially asking which one of my future children I want to keep while I send the rest of the coal mines…okay, maybe not that harsh. But, I digress from that dark anecdote and now tell you about my favorite Zelda title. When conjuring up my list or ranking, I knew that the majority of these games were ones that I could go back and play again and never tire of it. Starting off, Majora’s Mask, my favorite 3D Zelda title, and the only one where I was able to 100 percent the quest. I remember watching my older brother play Ocarina of Time daily and after my playthrough, I knew I was excited for a sequel with more of the same. However, what drives the Zelda formula is not just playing it safe but introducing a quirky mechanic that somewhat hides the fact that this formula could or could not get stale. The Three-day time mechanic of Majora’s Mask made everything seem more fleshed out. Eiji Aonuma wisely took the steps to make this a harder and darker Zelda entry. Not only that, but the NPC conversations made you care about revisiting them despite going back in time and erasing what you did previously. With a 3D remake on its way, looking back on Majora’s Mask makes me realize that a quirky, weird, and risky change of pace in game design can be worth the experience and work alone.

Lewis Pugh: This Zelda game’s greatest strength is that it stray the furthest from the traditional Zelda formula in both gameplay rhythm and it’s dark and all-consuming atmosphere. It really is the weird and freaky moments that are the most memorable, not just in Majora’s Mask itself but over the whole Zelda franchise. The atmosphere is backed up by a quirky but ultimately solid 3-day doomsday mechanic, not only does this keep you on your toes but you can use this to your advantage to track down every NPC’s daily routines, an exercise that pays off in many of its side missions. It also has some of the best dungeon designs in Zelda history, even if there’s only 4 of them. Majors’s Mask rebellious nature and memorial moments and sights marks its place.

Nintendo has a habit of making demos or even full games available after Nintendo Direct streams. Wednesday’s broadcast was no exception. Right after the Direct came to a conclusion, players could go to the 3DS or Wii U eShop to purchase a unique set of short movies staring Pikmin for $4.99 each. Famed game designer Shigeru Miyamoto explained his desire to make his tiny creations come to life through more detailed animation than could be achieved in a video game. The completed short movies debuted at the 2014 Tokyo International Film Festival. Now you can download the 3D or HD versions to your 3DS or Wii U, respectively. I was nice enough to buy both versions so I could give you the pros and cons of each and ultimately settle on which is better to spend $4.99 on.

First, however, I want to go over what actually comes in the package and how the movies themselves are. Both the 3D and HD versions come with three short films: The Night Juicer (less than 2 minutes long), Treasure in a Bottle (8 minutes exactly), and Occupational Hazards (about 13 minutes). The movies can be selected individually, but there’s no option to play them all one after another. Because the HD versions are on Wii U, watching them on the GamePad is an option. In addition to the three films, a bonus section features some of Miyamoto’s storyboards on Flipnote Studio.

On the movies themselves…well, I can say that Pikmin were a good choice for this undertaking. The Pikmin are beyond cute and there are genuinely funny moments throughout. The animation is bright, colorful, and possibly on par with Pixar in terms of quality. The music doesn’t have a spotlight on it or anything, but let’s just say it makes for one especially adorable moment and one surprisingly tense moment. I find myself with a strong desire to share these with my friends and family, even the ones who don’t play video games…

So, for five bucks, I’d call this purchase a no-brainer for a Nintendo fan. The question is, which version is better? If your intuition says the HD version on the Wii U, I’d say your intuition is absolutely correct. The animation is gorgeous in HD, and seeing all the little details is far better than watching in 3D. In fact, more than the 3D, I’d say the portability of the 3DS version is the reason to download it at all. If you only go for one, make it the Wii U version.

For those of you who have already downloaded and watched the short films, what are your thoughts?

Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate is set to offer more Nintendo crossover goodness than players will know what to do with. The news-packed Nintendo Direct that streamed earlier today contained yet another trailer highlighting such a crossover: this time, it’s Mario and Luigi outfits for your *ahem* energetic little felyne companions. I’m admittedly not as much a fan of these as I am of the Isabelle and Resetti outfits. Which do you prefer? Or are you going to stick with the traditional Monster Hunter felyne look?

Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate is still set to be released in the west early 2015.

Ultimate NES Remix will bring the popular retro Nintendo experience to a portable for the first time on November 7th in Europe and December 5th in North America. During today’s Nintendo Direct stream, we learned a thing or two about the 3DS title:

According to Bill Trinen, the game “contains the best parts of the first two [NES Remix] games.” I’m a little worried about this, actually, as it seems it won’t contain the full experience of the two Wii U eShop games. However, we have a few consolation prizes…

Ultimate NES Remix has an unlockable Famicom Remix mode. As the name suggests, this mode will allow you to play additional challenges that could only be found in the Japanese version of NES Remix before.

Speed Mario Bros. is a mode that contains the entirety of the NES classic Super Mario Bros. The draw here is that every element to the game, from Mario to the music, moves at a blinding pace.

For the first time in an NES Remix game, online leaderboards will be available to peruse. Also, you can sometimes watch replays of the top players’ performances if the replay button appears.

Daily challenges will hopefully encourage those who pick up Ultimate NES Remix to play it on a daily basis. Challenges will simply be specific minigames from the overall collection chosen by Nintendo each day.

For a limited amount of time, those who purchase Ultimate NES Remix will get a special Famicom 3DS theme for free.

Does having the NES Remix experience on the go appeal to you? Let us know in a comment below.

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